Juror: Most of jury wanted to acquit Senator Menendez during deliberations

The 2 who wanted to convict could not explain why they felt he was guilty, juror no. 1 says

NEWARK — In a stunning admission, a juror says the vote was 10 to two in favor of acquittal in the Senator Bob Menendez bribery case.

That juror, Edward Norris of Morris County, discussed how the jury deliberated after all the facts were laid out to them.

“When the prosecution rested, I didn't see anything that was concrete to say 'I thought there was more to it,' Norris said outside of the courthouse on Thursday.

He says throughout most of the jury’s deliberations, they were deadlocked at ten to acquit and two to convict. A majority felt that the relationship between Menendez and Dr. Samuel Melgen was genuine.

“I totally thought they were friends, longtime friends,” he said.

Last week, excused juror number 11, Arroyo, told FiOS1 News that she believed Menendez was innocent on all of the charges against him and she believed those who wanted to convict were holding out in hopes of swaying opinions after she was excused.

“I said, 'no, I'm not going to change my mind.’ To me, they were holding on because they knew Thursday was my last day and once 11 leaves, maybe they could change every else's minds,” Arroyo said.

Norris told reporters that the two jurors who wanted to convict the senator couldn't offer any arguments as to why.

“They didn't make them. They just said he was guilty,” he said.

Norris says they had worked to come to a unanimous decision on count 18 against the senator, but they ultimately could not. He also says he doesn't believe politics played a role in the jury's deliberations.